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Dodgers Decline 2012 Options On Casey Blake, Jon Garland, Outright Eugenio Velez To Triple A

Eugenio Velez had no hits in 37 at-bats in 2011, and has no hits in his last 46 major league at-bats.

By Eric Stephen
The Los Angeles Dodgers began their offseason on Tuesday by declining the 2012 club options for both third baseman Casey Blake and starting pitcher Jon Garland, and outrighting Eugenio Velez to Triple A.
The Los Angeles Dodgers began their offseason on Tuesday by declining the 2012 club options for both third baseman Casey Blake and starting pitcher Jon Garland, and outrighting Eugenio Velez to Triple A.

The Los Angeles Dodgers began their offseason on Tuesday with a trio of roster moves. They declined the 2012 club options for both third baseman Casey Blake and starting pitcher Jon Garland, who both spent multiple stints on the disabled list in 2011. The Dodgers also outrighted record-setting Eugenio Velez to Triple A Albuquerque.

Blake hit .252/.342/.371 with four home runs in 63 games, and was on the disabled list three separate times during the season. He had neck surgery in September. Blake's option would have called for a $6 million salary in 2012; instead, he receives a $1.25 million buyout.

Blake, whom the Dodgers acquired at the trade deadline in 2008 from the Cleveland Indians for catcher Carlos Santana, hit .260/.338/.431 with 75 doubles and 49 home runs in 406 games in Los Angeles over nearly three and a half seasons. He signed a three-year, $17.5 million contract to remain a Dodger before the 2009 season.

Garland made at least 32 starts om nine consecutive seasons before this year, and signed a one-year deal worth a guaranteed $5 million. Garland had an $8 million option that would have vested had he pitched 190 innings. Garland, who missed one start at the beginning of the year with an oblique injury suffered in spring training, made just nine starts before a shoulder injury shut him down. He had shoulder surgery in July. Garland, who was 1-5 with a 4.33 ERA, receives a $500,000 buyout.

Velez set records for most at-bats (37) by a position player in one season without a hit and for the longest stretch of at-bats without a hit (46), dating back to 2010.

In addition to Blake and Garland, the Dodgers have eight other pending free agents on their 40-man roster: Rod Barajas, Jonathan Broxton, Jamey Carroll, Hiroki Kuroda, Mike MacDougal, Aaron Miles, Vicente Padilla, and Juan Rivera.